a history

The name ‘Kahn’ is thought in some quarters to mean ‘boat’ or ‘ship.’ The fact that a kahn is, or was, a type of cargo barge is probably a coincidence, although the origins of the term in a marine context are obscure. The German for barge is ‘kahn.’

During the 19th and early 20th century, kahns were frequently seen sailing in the Baltic, especially on the rivers and estuaries of north Germany and Poland. They were sailing barges, well suited to the waters of long winding rivers and shallow seas close inshore.

Three types of kahn were built – koffenkahn, stevenkahn and mollenkahn. Typical dimensions were about 40 metres long by 6.5 metres beam and about 2 metres draft. They’d probably carry between 150 and 250 tonnes of heavy cargo. All types had three unstayed masts each with sails supported by sprits (long beams stretched at about 45 degrees between the foot of the mast and the opposite peak of the sail).

These were slow and boxy vessels, flat-bottomed, heavily built in the style of barges and with bluff bows and sterns Thus they were suitable for carrying relatively large loads of timber or barrels. To make passage in the often stormy Baltic Sea, kahns needed two sets of leeboards to avoid being blown off course.

As late as the 1930s, kahns were still in use.

Aside from this, the surname Kahn is probably a derivative of the more familiar Jewish name: Cohen.

NB: No analogy should be drawn between the characteristics of the Kahn family and those of the eponymous sailing craft. I’m afraid the author is far from flat-bottomed, although he has been known to be bluff and long-winded.

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4 Responses

The cohen were called priest, or rabbi and the lord God of Abraham , Issaa ,and jacob is about to show HIM SELF real again to our people Israel so when ever you all have some time read Isaiah 49:22 (al-lee-yah) Isaiah:51:14 please read it ,shalomthank you very much to whom it may concern on line , we are helping our jewish mothers with food , so any one will like to help , please contac me at prophetkhan@yahoo.com

My family were Cohen/Kahan/Kahn/Cohn. Could someone please identify the names of the two young men are at the top of the blog home page. There is an incredible facial resemblance to my first cousin. Webmaster?

Hello Elle… sorry to be so late responding. I hope you receive this. They are my father Gaston Bernard Kahn (rt) and my uncle, Philip Brown Kahn (lft) sons of Gaston Victor Kahn and Amy Dubber. Is this any help to you? Please let me know.
Alan Kahn